thanks giving weekend and a duck

Today the kids (who are adults) are coming over to join Steve, myself and my mom for Thanksgiving dinner. Lucas is cooking the ducks, Phoebe is making the salad, I'm in charge of the sweet potato casserole and Mom made the cake. Usually Steve does all the holiday cooking, but this year, he has off. Instead, he is outside working away on his wooden boat with dreams of launching her next Spring. If he wants pictures of that posted on a blog, he'll have to start his own blog.

I promised photos of the original capital of Ottoman Turkey. Below you see what remains of the original Bursa. It was where the Ottoman Empire began between 1335 and 1413. The giant tree from the earlier post is down the hill. The wooden building construction techniques are similar to other alpine construction techniques.  I don't know how much has been preserved because of good fortune, or foresightedness or tourism. What we see are the walls, doors and windows. Inside these homes and business are probably modern plumbing and plush couches.

This is the spot where the bus dropped us off. Vendors selling mostly the same items crowded the square. I'm not sure how anyone made any money since 90% of the items were identical stall to stall, but then, I'm just the tourist traipsing through.

I would have loved to sit and have lunch at this lovely little cafe but the tour group planner had other ideas. Inside the courtyard, you can see the old brick work that is found behind the plaster.

All available space was given over to plants of some kinds. These look like roses but are hydrandea shrubs in the perfect shade of blue plastic pails.

 A bridal party was having photos taken around the square so we scurried out of the photographers way and up the main road. The main road starts to climb between the close buildings, stalls continuing up to the next square.

Some buildings were in better repair than others, but on the right you can see the wood beams that hold the stones and mortar in place. Often the building is plastered above shoulder height. Damage from passing cars and tractors won't be as noticeable.

It looks flat, but it isn't. I am so glad I wore sneakers that day!

An internal square with more restaurants and a mosque. Further up the road, about three buildings worth, the farms began.

A fork in the road. Here we are looking back down to the first square and a determined car is approaching. The group squawked around a bit trying to find enough places for us all to get out of the way.

Steve was mightily impressed by the walls the further up the street we walked. They were in more original condition. On the left, the daub is a combination of straw, mud and manure. The plaster acts as a screen to keep moisture off.

 This building is a little more house proud. I seem to have not taken pictures of the farms or of an interior courtyard. I'll have to scrounge around Steve's photos and add those next Monday.

Back at home, we walked the beach at Beach Meadows. Dead centre, is a tiny white speck. It is the tower of the Anglican Church that sits behind a marsh. The tide is out and the beach grows huge.

I'm going to pretend that this next drawing I made was inspired by the Beach. It makes a good story.

The duck cooker should be arriving shortly and the dishes need washing so that counter space can reappear. I must remember to take photos.